Sermons

Every week at Grace, a preacher breaks open the Word and offers insights into the Good News. Below is a list of the sermons from Grace Memorial for 2021.

• The Twenty-Sixth Sunday After Pentecost by Martin ElfertNovember 26, 2021
  Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 Psalm 93 Revelation 1:4b-8 John 18:33-37 Through much of high school I imagined that I was going to be an actor or, possibly, a director or playwright. I was in a bunch of shows, I directed my classmates in several shows, and I actually wrote several shows. (I haven’t seen the scripts…
• The Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Pentecost by Matthew David MorrisNovember 20, 2021
  Daniel 12:1-3Psalm 16Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25Mark 13:1-8 We want to know how things end. How pandemics end. How interpersonal conflicts end. How the world––whatever world we currently occupy––ends. There has always been a desire to know the ending. I’ve had a lot of cause to think about endings this year. In January, me and my…
• All Souls/All Saints by Matt HainesNovember 13, 2021
  Isaiah 25:6-9Psalm 24Revelation 21:1-6aJohn 11:32-44 Take me where you want me to go,Let me meet who you want me to meet,Tell me what you want me to say andKeep me out of your way. Amen [1] This week I was reminded about saintliness while listening to a short NRP Story Corps broadcast about Father Mychal…
• The Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost; sermon by Martin ElfertNovember 13, 2021
  Deuteronomy 6:1-9Psalm 119:1-8Hebrews 9:11-14Mark 12:28-34
• Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Doctor Liz KleinOctober 29, 2021
  Lessons: Jeremiah 31:7-9Psalm 126Hebrews 7:23-28Mark 10:46-52 Mark 10:46-52 46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus,…
• Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertOctober 22, 2021
  Lessons: Isaiah 53:4-12Psalm 91:9-16Hebrews 5:1-10Mark 10:35-45 Here we are. Here we are, together. Just like we planned. We last worshipped in this space, together, what was it? Two weeks ago, three weeksago? And now everything is back to normal. Right? Well, that was how it was supposed to go. I remember us saying to one…
• Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Corbet ClarkOctober 15, 2021
  Lessons Job 23:1-9, 16-17Psalm 22:1-15Hebrews 4:12-16Mark 10:17-31 If someone asked you, “What is God like,” how would you respond? I think we all have asense of how we might describe God, based on our own ideas and experience, but perhapsthe most honest answer might be, “I don’t know.” I think we understand that knowing the…
• Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost – The Reverend Martin ElfertOctober 1, 2021
  Lessons: Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22Psalm 54James 3:13-4:3, 7-8aMark 9:30-37
• Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertOctober 1, 2021
  Lessons: Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29Psalm 19:7-14James 5:13-20Mark 9:38-50
• Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertSeptember 10, 2021
  Lessons: Isaiah 35:4-7aPsalm 146James 2:1-10, [11-13], 14-17Mark 7:24-37 Even if you have studied just a tiny bit of church history, it’s hard to read from James’ epistle without thinking of Martin Luther. Luther famously hated James. He thought that it was a mistake that James had made it into the Bible. James was, as he…
• Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Doctor Liz KleinSeptember 3, 2021
  Lessons: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9Psalm 15James 1:17-27Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Sermon for August 29th 2021 Pentecost Proper 17 Year B Track 2 Gospel Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 at Grace Memorial  How do we nourish our hearts and souls and recognize God’s Grace, the Goodness Glue?  Given by Deacon Doctor Elizabeth Klein Good morning!!  A warm welcome…
• Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertAugust 28, 2021
  Lessons: Joshua 24:1-2a,14-18Psalm 34:15-22Ephesians 6:10-20John 6:56-69 A few years ago I was interning as a trainer at the College for Congregational Development just north of us in the Diocese of Olympia. I love the College. I love its curriculum, love the ways that it gives you tools to think about and to celebrate a community…
• Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Corbet ClarkAugust 21, 2021
  Lessons: 1 Kings 19:4-8Psalm 34:1-8Ephesians 4:25-5:2John 6:35, 41-51
• Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertAugust 21, 2021
  Lessons: Proverbs 9:1-6Psalm 34:9-14Ephesians 5:15-20John 6:51-58 Does not Wisdom callFrom the heights,On the Way?At each crossroadsWisdom is taking her stand.To you, O people,Wisdom calls,And her cry is to all who live. Music and words by the Reverend Sylvia Miller-Mutia, based on Proverbs 8:1-4 110 or so years later, we are back under a tent. As…
• Ninth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertAugust 7, 2021
  Lessons: 2 Kings 4:42-44Psalm 145:10-19Ephesians 3:14-21John 6:1-21  
• Eighth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiAugust 7, 2021
  Lessons: Jeremiah 23:1-6Psalm 23Ephesians 2:11-22Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
• Seventh Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiAugust 7, 2021
  Lessons: Amos 7:7-15Psalm 85:8-13Ephesians 1:3-14Mark 6:14-29
• Tenth Sunday After Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertAugust 6, 2021
  Lessons: Exodus 16:2-4,9-15Psalm 78:23-29Ephesians 4:1-16John 6:24-35 One of the difficulties in talking about faith, in talking about Jesus, is that different folks mean significantly different things by the very same words. Often, for instance, when I am chatting with someone who is sceptical about church – or, for that matter, who is hostile to church…
• Sixth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiJuly 7, 2021
  Lessons: Ezekiel 2:1-5Psalm 1232 Corinthians 12:2-10Mark 6:1-13
• Fifth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Dick TollJuly 2, 2021
  Lessons: Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15; 2:23-24Psalm 302 Corinthians 8:7-15Mark 5:21-43   In our story from the Gospel today I would like us to look at that portion of the story with the 12-year girl.  We hear that the father of the girl is a leader at the synagogue and comes to Jesus because his daughter…
• Second Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Ben WellsJuly 2, 2021
  Lessons: Genesis 3:8-15Psalm 1302 Corinthians 4:13-5:1Mark 3:20-35
• Third Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin ElfertJuly 2, 2021
  Lessons: Ezekiel 17:22-24Psalm 92:1-4,11-142 Corinthians 5:6-10,[11-13],14-17Mark 4:26-34
• Fourth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiJuly 2, 2021
  Lessons: Job 38:1-11Psalm 107:1-3, 23-322 Corinthians 6:1-13Mark 4:35-41
• Trinity Sunday 2021, by the Reverend Martin ElfertJune 5, 2021
  This is a Billy Collins poem. It is called Introduction to Poetry. And it goes like this. I ask them to take a poemand hold it up to the lightlike a color slide or press an ear against its hive. I say drop a mouse into a poemand watch him probe his way out, or…
• Day of Pentecost by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiMay 27, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 2:1-21 Romans 8:22-27 John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 Psalm 104:25-35, 37
• Seventh Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Corbet ClarkMay 21, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 1 John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19 Psalm 1
• Sixth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin ElfertMay 15, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 10:44-48 1 John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17 Psalm 98
• Fifth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiMay 8, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 8:26-40 1 John 4:7-21 John 15:1-8 Psalm 22:24-30
• Fourth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin ElfertMay 1, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 4:5-12 1 John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18 Psalm 23     [McFerrin’s Psalm 23] There is a video making the rounds on social media. Maybe you have seen it. It’s short and to the point.   More than one person has shared that video with a caption that goes something like this: Actual footage…
• Sermon from Frank Schramling’s funeral by The Rev. Martin ElfertApril 30, 2021
  April 29, 2021 Lessons: Song of Songs 4:16–5:1 Psalm 104 James 2:1–9, 14–17 Luke 24:13–35   It is an uncommon privilege to speak at Frank Schramling’s funeral. We’re here in a place that Frank Schramling loved: the courtyard of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church. We’re officially out here for Covid reasons. But it seems to me…
• Third Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiApril 30, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 3:12-19 1 John 3:1-7 Luke 24:36b-48 Psalm 4
• Second Sunday of Easter by Robb BeckApril 16, 2021
  Lessons: Acts 4:32-35 1 John 1:1-2:2 John 20:19-31 Psalm 133
• Easter Sunday by The Rev. Martin ElfertApril 9, 2021
  Lessons: Isaiah 25:6-9 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 Luke 24:13-49 Psalm 114
• Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion by The Rev. Corbet ClarkApril 2, 2021
  Lessons: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Isaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 11:1-11 Mark 14:1-15:47 Psalm 31:9-16 In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.   The gospels don’t make clear what Jesus thought he was doing when he went up to Jerusalem in the last week of his earthly life. John’s Gospel suggests that Jesus…
• Fifth Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiApril 2, 2021
  Lessons: Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33 Psalm 51:1-13
• Fourth Sunday in Lent by the Rev. Richard SchaperMarch 20, 2021
  Lessons: Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 The Reverend Richard Schaper studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He also studied philosophy and religion at Colgate University, theology at the University of Chicago, ethics at Yale University, financial planning at Golden Gate University and the management of nonprofit…
• Third Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin ElfertMarch 12, 2021
  Lessons: Exodus 20:1-17 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22 Psalm 19 Are there times when God’s anger is good news? I realise that this is a dangerous question. More than one person at our virtual service this morning grew up in a religiously abusive environment. In such a context there is very little good news about…
• Second Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiMarch 5, 2021
  Lessons: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38 Psalm 22:22-30 The name Sarah, or its previous iteration of Sarai, appears more frequently in the Bible than that of any other woman, 55 times in the Old Testament and 4 times in the New according to the womanist Hebrew Bible scholar Wil Gafney. Granted, the list…
• First Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin ElfertFebruary 25, 2021
  Lessons: Genesis 9:8-17 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15 Psalm 25:1-9 In the Gospel of Mark, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry is defined by three events. First, there is his baptism in the Jordan in which he comes up from the water and he hears the voice that declares who he is. Second, there is his…
• The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin ElfertFebruary 19, 2021
  Lessons: Isaiah 40:21-31 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Mark 1:29-39 Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
• The Last Sunday After the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin ElfertFebruary 19, 2021
  Lessons: 2 Kings 2:1-122 Corinthians 4:3-6Mark 9:2-9Psalm 50:1-6 A story in which Jesus and three friends go for a hike. The three friends are John and James and Peter. They are Jesus’ closest friends, hold oldest friends. Or at least they are his first friends since he was changed, since he came out of the…
• Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin ElfertFebruary 3, 2021
  Lessons: Deuteronomy 18:15-201 Corinthians 8:1-13Mark 1:21-28Psalm 111 What do you expect it to be like when you meet Jesus? And then: what is it like when you actually meet Jesus? We are early on the Gospel of Mark. Mark is the shortest Gospel, it is probably the oldest, and it is the one that tells…
• Third Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Jeanne KaliszewskiJanuary 30, 2021
  Lessons: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 Psalm 62:6-14
• Second Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Dick TollJanuary 21, 2021
  Lessons: 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20) 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51 Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 SERMON JANUARY 17, 2021, JOHN: CHAPTER 1, VERSUS 43-51, HONORING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR Today I want to offer a reflection of my early life with a man I never met.  I found him to be a follower of Jesus Christ.   I was…